"Hmm?"
Up in the sky.
Seimei let out a soft murmur as he noticed his opponent dodging his wind blade. It was surprising because that strike had been carefully aimed at the enemy. Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't have been avoided.
However, ninjas are unpredictable; their strength often lies in turning the impossible into the possible. So, it wasn't too surprising that his opponent dodged the attack. Seimei didn't necessarily need to kill him anyway—one missed hit wasn't a big deal.
What mattered was that the others wouldn't be as fortunate in evading his next attack. With this in mind, Seimei targeted another Mist Chūnin, forming seals again and casting a Wind Release: Wind Blade!
This jutsu had been honed to perfection by Seimei. The speed and stealth of his wind blades were leagues above ordinary techniques.
By the time the Mist Chūnin realized he was in danger, it was already too late.
*Slicing sound~*
The sound of flesh being cut by a sharp blade echoed. The Mist Chūnin was sliced in half at the waist, crying out in agony.
Seeing this gruesome sight, the remaining Mist ninjas were filled with fear, their alertness spiking to the maximum.
Seimei, however, paid no attention to their reactions. Having succeeded with one strike, he immediately released a second wind blade.
This time, a Mist Genin was the target. Though wary and trying to dodge, he still had his right leg cut off by the wind blade. Such an injury rendered him incapable of continuing the fight and in need of his comrades' aid.
With two fighters down—one dead and one incapacitated—the Mist ninjas had already lost two vital members.
"Dammit! Counterattack!"
A commanding shout came from a Mist Jōnin below. Hearing this, the Mist ninjas launched their attacks, throwing kunai and shuriken or casting ninjutsu and genjutsu. But none of their attacks could reach Seimei, who was flying above, evading their assaults with the agility of a fish in water.
Not only was he unharmed, but he also continued casting jutsu, killing several more Mist ninjas. Although these losses weren't significant compared to their large force, the psychological impact was devastating.
Just imagine—an enemy can attack you at will, while you can't even touch them. How could that not induce despair?
Fortunately, Seimei's assault didn't last long. After a relentless barrage that scattered the Mist ninjas' formation, he flew away from them.
"He's gone!"
A shout came from within the Mist forces, and immediately, relief washed over them. Though no one admitted it aloud, most of them had been terrified of Seimei, secretly hoping for him to leave as soon as possible.
However, unlike the relieved grunts, the expressions of the Mist Jōnin were grim. It was clear to them that Seimei was heading towards another unit. They could easily guess his intention.
Without hesitation, the Jōnin quickly reorganized their forces, preparing to pursue him. Their mission was directly issued by their commander, and they had to complete it.
······
Meanwhile, the other Mist ninja squad had managed to escape about two to three kilometers, nearing the Blackstone stronghold, their destination. But just as they thought they were safe, Seimei's figure appeared in the sky.
"Watch out!"
One of the Mist Jōnin spotted Seimei and immediately sounded the alarm, hurling a kunai toward him.
Yes, this time, Seimei had flown close enough to be within their attack range. Theoretically, they could hit him. But theory is one thing; reality is another. To think they could strike him so easily was nothing short of wishful thinking.
With a light flap of his chakra wings, Seimei dodged the incoming kunai. Without a second thought, he formed seals and unleashed a Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
This jutsu was perfect for disrupting formations, especially when Seimei had so much chakra to spare. A powerful gust of wind shot from his mouth, rapidly spinning into a tornado that swept toward the Mist ninjas.
Even though the Mist Jōnin had defensive jutsu, they were unable to block the attack and could only choose to evade.
"Disperse!"
Following a Jōnin's command, the Mist ninjas split into small groups, attempting to resist Seimei's wind-based assault. Unlike the previous group, they managed to maintain some semblance of formation even after scattering, adding some difficulty to Seimei's subsequent attacks.
But it was only a small difficulty.
Now that Seimei had decided to go all out, the hundred or so Mist ninjas posed little threat to him. With a forceful flap of his chakra wings, Seimei accelerated, diving straight toward the enemy forces.
"Attack! Attack now!"
A Mist Jōnin shouted in desperation, and a flurry of kunai and shuriken flew toward Seimei.
Activating his Sharingan to its full power, Seimei carefully analyzed the incoming projectiles. Those he could dodge, he avoided. For the ones he couldn't, he used his kunai to deflect. Any tools with explosive tags were neutralized with his own shuriken.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Explosions erupted one after another, filling the sky with fireballs. Seimei skillfully resisted the heat and shockwaves, even using them to propel himself faster.
In the blink of an eye, Seimei had reached the frontlines. Without hesitation, he formed seals and cast Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Dozens of fireballs spewed out, scattering toward the Mist ninjas. Most of them missed, but a few hit the slower Genin.
Seimei was satisfied with the result. His goal wasn't necessarily to kill but to force them to reposition, further breaking their formation.
His objective was nearly achieved.
Watching the disarray below caused by his fireballs, Seimei activated Wind Release: Wind Wings once more, soaring through the air in an arc, targeting several more Mist ninjas.
This time, there was no one left to coordinate a defense!
Effortlessly, Seimei closed in and unleashed another Wind Release: Wind Blade, this time intending to kill.
Only by sowing greater chaos could he ensure his own safety and secure more opportunities.
(End of Chapter)